Isha Shamshad2026-07-272026-07-272009http://repository.uop.edu.pk/123456789/475Numerous human activities (mining, agriculture, industries etc.) discharge huge amount of wastewater (WW) into water ecosystems without any purification or treatment that contained toxic heavy metals (THMs) such as cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn). Removal of these THMs is very essential to protect environment and human health. One of the promising and attractive technologies to remove THMs from WW or aqueous media is through various biomasses such as fresh water algae that can remove THMs very efficiently. Four freshwater algae including Cladophora glomerata, Oedogonium westii, Vaucheria debaryana and Zygnema insigne were tested for their bioaccumulation capacity of selected THMs such as Cd, Cr and Pb in control environment with average temperature of 18°C, and light/dark duration of 12:12h. Experiments were performed in aqueous solutions containing selected toxic heavy metals (THMs) (ranged from 0.05 to 1.5 mg L-1) with 0.5 g of living algae at 18°C and pH 6.8. The results indicated that C. glomerata was observed the most competent representative for the removal of Cr, Cd and Pb from aqueous solutions. THMs removal trends were in order of Cd ˃ Cr ˃ Pb, while removal efficiency of selected algae species was in order of C. glomerata, O. westii, V. debaryana and Z. insigne. Bioaccumulation capacity of C. glomerata, V. debaryana and Z. insigne was observed contrarily for different THMs. Removal of THMs was higher at low level of THMs in aqueous solutions. The results indicated that C. glomerata, O. westii, V. debaryana and Z. insigne had significant (P ≤ 0.01) diverse bioaccumulation capacity for Cr, Cd and Pb.enThesis